One Word for 2025: Flourish

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In past years, my one word choice feels obvious. It’s usually centered around a thought that starts to tug on my brain towards the end of the year. The thought will float into my brain while I’m driving or cooking or walking my dog. In a way, I guess you could say that in past years, the “one word” finds me and I don’t have to go looking for it. This year is so different. It probably has to do with the fact that I’m still settling into this new phase of my kids beginning to leave home. I’ve accepted I’m here, but it still feels strange every day.

In case you’re just joining us, for the past many years, I’ve been practicing the One Word intention at the New Year instead of traditional goals. I create goals for myself consistently throughout the year because I don’t subscribe to goals needing to be a New-Years-thing. Goals are important and should be an anytime-you’re-ready-to-improve-or-make-a-change-thing. One Word intentions are something we set at the beginning of the year to guide our focus for the year.

Our thoughts are the most important instrument of change at our disposal. What we focus on, the kinds of things we let swirl in our brain, and the soundtrack of our thoughts can have the biggest impact on what we accomplish. The good news for us is that we are in control of what we think about. Thoughts are like birds, we may not be able to control a thought flying through our mind, but we decide whether or not to let the thought build a nest there.

Over the years, my annual word choice has made a difference to me. It feels like I’m setting the direction for the year.

Here are examples of words I’ve chosen in the past –

• 2024: Healing
• 2023: Focus
• 2022: Intentional
• 2021: Growth
• 2020: Rest
• 2019: Get Dressed

I’ve been pondering my word for 2025 a lot this week and hadn’t been making progress, so I went to my husband for help. Matt is an extremely talented guy and we are somehow compatible even though we are very different. We celebrated our 20th anniversary last month and because I’m feeling sentimental about our relationship, I’m going to tell this little story about how we almost always approach solving problems differently and how he helped me figure out my word.

A few months ago, when I decided to come back to blogging more seriously, I wanted a fresh look, including a logo. I drew my blog logo on a piece of paper with markers and scanned it in to get a digital image to use. It took many attempts until I got what I decided to use. When Matt saw what I was going for, he started asking AI to do the image for me. Can you tell which one I drew versus which one AI drew? Ha! (He showed AI my images and asked it to improve it. I actually like a lot of what AI did, but I’m stubborn and wanted to do my own thing.)

While I’ve never actually used AI for anything, not even a question, Matt loves adding tech anywhere he can and he loves using whatever new app or tool will make life easier, including utilizing AI. I usually find my satisfaction in doing things a certain way and I usually enjoy the process. We are so different in many ways, but I think having different approaches to problem-solving has actually really helped us through the years. Different approaches are best for different situations. I give Matt credit for usually being the one to push us forward while I’m content to just make the best of current circumstances. Trying to understand the other person’s point of view over the years has made us each better.

With Matt’s influence, this week was the first time I’ve ever even opened up ChatGPT on my computer. I gave ChaptGPT a list of words that I was deciding between and asked if there was a word that encompassed the essence of the entire list. My favorites of the list ChatGPT gave me were:

• Radiate – “This word conveys a sense of spreading joy, gratitude, and positivity, while also hinting at consistency and growth (as something that radiates expands outward).”
• Ascend – “Suggests rising or growing toward a better state, capturing the essence of striving, change, joy, and embracing challenges.”
• Evolve – “This word captures the ideas of change, growth, and striving, while still maintaining a sense of gratitude and joy in the process.”

Ultimately, I chose Flourish. This was what ChatGPT said about Flourish: “The word “Flourish” captures the essence of the list you provided. It encompasses a sense of growth, positive transformation, joy, contentment, and striving for improvement, all of which align with concepts like shift, delight, embrace, and bloom. “Flourish” suggests a thriving state where consistency, change, and gratitude coexist harmoniously.”

I had to laugh a little at first when it mentioned Consistency and Change coexisting hormoniously! I mean, aren’t Consistency and Change opposites?! But of course, I quickly remembered that as crazy as it sounds, Consistency and Change have always coexisted. Or in other words, the cliche is true: some things change and some remain the same. Besides, Matt and I are opposites in a lot of ways and we’ve coexisted for 20 years and counting, lol.

Flourish is my word this year because I want to be consistent with my self-discipline and delight in the simple things of life. I want to find joy and contentment in whatever situations I find myself this year. I’m ready for a shift, ready to embrace new opportunities, and ready to accept the changes that are not in my control. I’m ready and wanting to flourish.

Download Flourish Printable in FULL RESOLUTION here.

Download the empty image and write your own word in!

Here is the handy printable I will place somewhere I’ll see often. Feel free to use it too if you happen to share my word for the year!

I hope you’ll consider setting a One Word goal or intention for the New Year as well. Let me know what your word is in the comments!

From my home to yours,
Mary

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